Pink Saturday

On our recent trip to Las Vegas we saw this tree in the lobby of the Renaissance Hotel. It's part of a collection of trees for a charity raffle. I really want a pink tree!! I already decorate three trees, not sure where this one would go. How many trees do you have?

One of my favorite holiday recipes is Peanut Butter Balls. They're a holiday tradition at my house. You can find the recipe here.

I am linking this to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound.

Acorn Squash with Brown Sugar and Rosemary

We love acorn squash. My go to recipe is roasted . The squash is so sweet and delicious cooked this way. I guess I've never thought of cooking it sliced. When I saw this recipe over at Tomatoes on the Vine, I thought the flavors sounded amazing and couldn't wait to give it a try. I am so glad I did. The brown sugar gives the squash a wonderful carmelized glaze, it's so beautiful!!




Acorn Squash with Rosemary and Brown Sugar
Serves 4
Recipe from Fine Cooking (Courtesy of Tomatoes on the Vine)
Ingredients:
1-2 pound acorn squash (unpeeled), halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 8 wedges
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
Using a paring knife, score each wedge of squash lengthwise down the middle of the flesh. heat the butter and oil in an 11 to 12-inch straight-sided saute pan over medium-high heat. Arrange the squash in the pan in a single layer and cook, flipping occasionally, until deep golden-brown on all cut sides, about 10 minutes (note: if your pan is not large enough to brown all the squash at once, brown it in batches, and then return to the pan to simmer.
Carefully pour the wine into the pan, then quickly scatter the brown sugar, rosemary, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper over the squash. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the squash is almost tender, about 10 minutes more.
Uncover the pan and increase the heat to medium. Flip the squash and cook until the liquid is thick and the squash is tender, about 5 minutes more. Transfer the squash to platter, season with salt and pepper to taste, drizzle any remaining liquid over the top, and serve.

I am linking this to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.

Coconut Rochers - Chocolate With Francois

Many of the recipes in Francois Payard's recipes aren't for the faint of heart. The require multiple bowls, baking over multiple days and complicated processes. Fortunately, this month's recipe wasn't one of the complicated ones!

This month's recipe, Chocolate Coconut Rochers was chosen by Joanne at Apple Crumbles. These would make an interesting holiday cookie. Check out the recipe over at Joanne's site. I was curious. What's a rocher? Rocher means boulder in French. You can find the other CWF bakers rochers here.

As the egg whites were whipping, I went to the pantry to grab the mini chips. Guess what? Yes, you guessed it, no mini chips. I ended up using dark chocolate regular size chips. Payard suggests using a small ice cream scoop to shape the cookies. I used a regular size cookie scoop. The recipe says to take them out when the outsides are crisp. Mine never did get what I would call crisp. If you like coconut and chocolate and want an easy yet delicious cookie, give these a try.





I am linking this to Tasty Tuesday's, Tuesdays at the Table and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.

Happy Pink Saturday!!

Are you decorating for the holidays this weekend? Tim put the outside decorations up last weekend. We're traveling so the indoor decorations will have to wait until next weekend. If I had room for another tree, this is the one I would buy!

I am linking this to Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound!!

Grilled Flank Steak with Coffee Sauce

As long as our grill isn't burried in snow, we grill in the winter. Flank steak is one of our favorite cuts of beef to grill. There's a couple of keys to tender, delicious flank steak. Don't overcook it and marinate it prior to grilling. I'm always in search of marinade recipes. Mary of One Perfect Bite has the most amazing recipes. This is just one of the many I've bookmarked to try.

The tangy dijon mustard and strong coffee give this steak a unique and tasty flavor. If grilling is on your menu sometime soon give this one a try, you won't be sorry!!!




Grilled Flank Steak with Coffee Sauce
Recipe Courtesy of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided use
2 cups espresso or strong brewed coffee
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon Black pepper
1 (20-oz.) flank steak
Salt to taste
1 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:
1) Combine mustard, garlic, shallots, balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons oil, espresso, brown sugar and black pepper in a large pan. Reserve 1 cup of marinade to make sauce. Add flank steak and marinate for 2 hours, turning meat every 30 minutes.
2) Pat steak dry and season each side with salt and pepper. Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Add vegetable oil and heat until smoking hot. Add flank steak and cook for 3 minutes per side, brushing each side with marinade. Remove pan from heat, but tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.
3) While beef is resting, combine reserved marinade and the beef broth. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to medium. Reduce sauce by 1/2. Add 2 tablespoons of butter. Whisk to incorporate. Correct the seasoning. Transfer steak to a cutting board and slice crosswise on the diagonal into 2-inch slices. Spoon sauce over meat and serve immediately. Yield: 3 to 4 servings.

I am linking this to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.

From The Good Life - Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: it must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all. ~William Faulkner

Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

Stuffed vegetables are hearty, delicious and filling. I've stuffed peppers before but never squash.

I can't find where I saved this recipe originally, if this is your recipe, thank you for such a delicious dish.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Stuffed Acorn Squash
1 acorn squash
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 cup mushrooms, diced
1 cup cooked grains (rice, quinoa, millet, or even just breadcrumbs)
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning or a combination of sage, marjoram, oregano, thyme and rosemary
salt and pepper

Directions:
While the squash is roasting in the oven, sauté the onion, garlic, celery and mushrooms until soft. Add grains, broth and herbs and mix well. Spoon into the squash and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Serves 4-6.

I am linking this to Tasty Tuesday, Tuesdays at the Table and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.